ป
•
3. Our intention is to bring this to the attention of the Council of Ministers on 5/6 November in the context of the general discussion of the Community's GPS. As suggested in paragraph 9 of EUM (73)71, the statement in the Council should refer specifically to Hong Kong's textile and footwear exports. We cannot accept any idea that Hong Kong's problem might be covered by general statement, that might also be made, to the effect that we shall be pressing for further improvements in the 1975 scheme (paragraph 23 of EUM (73)73 - see below).
EUM (73)73
4.
Under Protocol 23 of the Treaty of Accession the United Kingdom (and Denmark and Ireland) have to align with the Community's GPS on 1 January 1974. In several respects the Community's scheme is less generous than our existing national one and in the Working Group discussions in Brussels we have been pressing for improvements. The improvements so far achieved are outlined in paragraph 4. But we wish to see further improvements especially on items of particular concern to the countries covered by the Joint Declaration of Intent and on items where there are likely to be significant price increases for the UK consumer. The DTI
Paper specifies plywood, soluble coffee, canned pineapple, cocoa butter and palm oil. The Paper also envisages our resisting pressure to treat Hong Kong exports (especially in the electronics field) in a discriminating way. Paragraph 21 of the Paper suggests
the line that should be followed on these items when the GPS is
discussed by Coreper on 25 October.
The Commission are expected
.../to
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.